3rd Edition
Strength and Conditioning for Young Athletes Science and Application
Section I: Foundations of Long‑Term Athletic Development
1. The Impact of Growth and Maturation on Physical Performance
Gareth Stratton and Jon Oliver
2. The Impact of Growth and Maturation upon Psychosocial Development in Young Athletes
Sean Cumming and Megan Hill
3. Talent Identification and Development
Kevin Till, Stacey Emmonds, Adam Kelly and Joe Baker
4. Monitoring and Managing Load in Young Athletes
David Johnson and Sean Williams
5. Coaching Young Athletes
Rhodri Lloyd, Sylvia Moeskops, Brendan Cropley and Avery Faigenbaum
Section II: Developing Physical Fitness in Young Athletes
6. Developing Athletic Motor Skill Competencies in Young Athletes
John Radnor, Stephanie Morris, Ben Pullen and Sylvia Moeskops
7. Strength and Power Training for Young Athletes
Avery D. Faigenbaum, Duncan N. French, Rhodri Lloyd, and William J. Kraemer
8. Weightlifting for Young Athletes
G. Gregory Haff, Stephanie J. Morris, and Erin E. Haff
9. Plyometric Training for Young Athletes
John Cronin and John Radnor
10. Speed Development in Young Athletes
Jon Oliver, Micheál Cahill, and Aaron Uthoff
11. Agility Training for Young Athletes
Ian Jeffreys
12. Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness Training for Youth Athletes
Neil Armstrong
13. Mobility and Flexibility Development for Young Athletes
William Sands and Jeni McNeal
14. Balance Training for Young Athletes
Urs Granacher and David Behm
Section III: Holistic Development for Young Athletes
15. Periodisation Strategies for Young Athletes
G. Gregory Haff
16. Reducing Injury Risk in Young Athletes
Paul Read, Jon Oliver, Greg Myer, and Rhodri Lloyd
17. Nutritional Strategies for Young Athletes
Marcus P Hannon, Graeme L Close and James P Morton
18. Creating Appropriate Training Environments for Young Athletes
Camilla Knight, Maita Furusa, Ben Pullen, Kurtis Pankow and Craig Harrison
Section IV: Long‑Term Athletic Development in Action
19. Integrating Strength and Conditioning into Schools
Sarah Kennedy, Jordan Smith, Rhodri Lloyd and David Lubans
20. Integrating Strength and Conditioning for Specialised Young Athletes
Sylvia Moeskops, Tejal Sarika Patel, Alex Mcgregor, Shane Geffe, Neeru Jayanthi and Rhodri Lloyd
21. Integrating Strength and Conditioning into Sporting Academies
Joe Eisenmann, James Baker, Des Ryan and Kevin Till
Biography
Rhodri Lloyd, PhD, is a Professor of Paediatric Strength and Conditioning and co‑founder of the Youth Physical Development Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University, which offers after‑school strength and conditioning provision to around 200 young athletes. His research interests surround the impact of growth and maturation on long‑term athletic development and the neuromuscular mechanisms underpinning training adaptations and injury risk in youth. Rhodri has published more than 190 peer‑reviewed manuscripts, 40 book chapters, and 4 textbooks on the topics of paediatric strength and conditioning and long‑term athletic development, including the ACSM Essentials of Youth Fitness. He is a Fellow of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and has been recognised both nationally and internationally for his contributions to research and education, including the 2024 William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sport Scientist Award from the NSCA.
Jon Oliver, PhD, is a Professor of Applied Paediatric Exercise Science, Associate Dean Research, and co‑founder of the Youth Physical Development Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand and Strength and Conditioning Research Lead for the Welsh Institute of Performance Science. He has been at the forefront of leading research and informing practice on the long‑term athletic development of youth. This has been supported by experimental research examining how growth and maturation interact with the development of physical fitness, responsiveness to training, injury risk, overtraining, and the health and well‑being of young athletes. Professor Oliver has collaborated with many schools and professional organisations nationally and internationally in a variety of youth sports, working with populations from grassroots to the elite level.
